Click here for this soldier’s biography:
https://micivilwar.com/authors/potter-charles-h/
Regiment: 2nd Michigan Cavalry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures:
Camp Sumpter Georgia
July 12th 1864
Andersonville.
Dear Father & Mother.
Knowing that
you are very anxious to hear from me
& to know whether I am dead or alive
I thought I would write a few lines this
morning & a few it will be for I am
not able to write much & am not per-
mitted by the confederates authorities to
write only a few lines. hoping this will.
find you all well & in better spirits than
myself. I have written home several times
& got no answer. the news here is scarce
I saw six of our own men hung yesterday
inside the stockade it was good enough
for them they deserved it sure. they were
hung for killing & robbing some of the
prisnors here in prison. our prison is a
large stockade. our grub is corn meal &
bacon
and it is killing me by inches if I only
had some of Mothers good bread I could stick
it through. I dont believe they ever intend to
exchange us poor critters the men die off from
forty to fifty a day, there is only tree or four
out of fifty three alive that was captured with
me. my letter is getting rather lengthy & I
am not done yet. I want a box sent me
& that right away never mind the expence
M.S. owes me enough to settle it all. &
I am in need of a great many things.
suffering I am like a thousand others.
I will tell you what I want that is a
few things, you need not send a very large
box for it may not come through. I think
it will with out much trouble. there has
a great many come here. if I had money
I could get a long well enough. Alfonzo
Dikeman & Fred Waterman & David
Janes is here they are tough & fat
as chickens. there is 25,000 prisnors
in this pen. the other side I will write
a list of what I would like.
first of all is a shirt pair of
socks & a pair of light shoes I am
bare footed been so along time I am
nearly naked through out but will
make this do if I get it. be sure & put
2 lbs of tea. the things up tight safe so
“ “ “ Coffee. they will not get destroyed
“ “ “ Sugar. maple if got it
box of mustard.
½ lbs of Pepper.
2 “ “ Butter. put it up tight
some dried beef.
dried fruit as much as you please
paper of pins & thread.
a good bottle of wine.
& fill the box up with all the butter crackers
you can & 2 lbs of good chewing tobacco.
any thing else you are a mind to. love to
all write as soon as received good bye
Direct
to Sergeant C. H. Potter. Co. M. 2
nd Mich.
Cavalry. Camp Sumpter Andersonville, Ga.
9
th Detatchment 1
st miss.
Prisnor of war.
